Last weekend, Arsenal’s winning streak was halted by Brighton at the Emirates Stadium, but the main talking point after the match was Declan Rice’s red card. To this day, there are still debates surrounding referee Chris Kavanagh’s decision to show Rice a second yellow card, but it seems this is not the biggest concern for manager Mikel Arteta at the moment.
Rice is certain to miss Arsenal’s next match, the North London derby against Tottenham Hotspur on September 15. Undoubtedly, Rice’s absence is a big loss for Arteta, especially with Arsenal having to play at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. Additionally, Arteta will also be without new signing Mikel Merino, who sustained a shoulder injury during his first training session with the club last week.
Arteta spoke about missing Rice and Merino for the match against Tottenham: “We have to adapt to this situation. That’s why we have other players who can fill Rice’s role, and I can give someone else an opportunity.”
Losing Rice will certainly impact Arsenal’s playing style, but Arteta likely already has a perfect replacement without needing Merino. He still has Jorginho, a quality midfielder who made 36 appearances for the Gunners last season and consistently delivered reliable performances in big matches since joining from Chelsea in January 2023.
Though Jorginho has yet to play a minute in the first three Premier League matches of the season, Arteta seems unconcerned. A prime example is the 3-1 win against Liverpool last February. Despite not playing much in the weeks prior, Jorginho was trusted to start in that crucial match at Emirates alongside Martin Odegaard and Rice, delivering an outstanding performance and playing a key role in the victory. He was even praised as the man of the match by Gary Neville.
In the upcoming North London derby against Tottenham, a similar scenario may play out, and based on the current situation, Jorginho is highly likely to partner Odegaard and Thomas Partey in the midfield. With his experience and high-level skills, the former Chelsea star is more than capable of filling Rice’s shoes and producing a standout performance against Ange Postecoglou’s team.
